Paper-making machine



W. H. MILLSPAUGH PAPER MAKING MACHINE Original Filed July 20, 1926 Dec. 9, 1930 N WW .Q. n M. R Q WK k h.

Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. MILLSPAUGH, 0F SANDUSKY, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE PATEE & TEXTILE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO PAPER-MAKING MACHINE Original application filed July 20, 1926, Serial No. 128,757. Divided and this application filed January 21, 1929 Serial No. 883,836.

This invention relates to paper-making machines, and aims to provide an improved machine for use in the manufacture of laminated or plural-ply paper. The subject-matter of the invention is disclosed in my application filed July 20, 1926, Serial No. 123,757, of which this application is a division.

An illustrative machine embodying the ire vention is shown in the accompanying drawing, which represents a longitudinal sectional view of the machine.

The operation of the machine involves the simultaneous production of a plurality of wet paper sheets by vacuum-induced formation over suction rolls, and bringing the sheets together and bonding them into a unitary plural-ply sheet. The particular machine selected for illustration is adapted for the manufacture of paper up to six plies. The machine has in this instance six vacuumforming cylinders 1, 1", 1, 1, 1 and 1', provided by suction rolls of appropriate character for maintenance of desired vacuum areas. These cylinders consist of closely perforated metal shells, suitably mounted and driven. Their directions of rotation are indicated by arrows in the drawings. Endless strainer mediums preferably of fine wire cloth, hereinafter called the wires, are entrained around anddriven by the cylinders.

These wires are respectively designated by the symbols 2, 2", 2, 2", 2 and 2. The directions of travel of the wires are indicated by arrows in the drawings.

The suction rolls and associated equipbearing against the interior surface of the cylinder, roviding a vacuum chamber 5 confronting he liquid body and extendmg to a point above the liquid level. There is 'also provided in this instance, as a separate com.- partment of the suction box, a supplemental vacuum chamber 6 in each cylinder. The suction chamber 5 of each roll communicates through a pipe connection at 5 with apparatus which will maintain in said chamber a suitable vacuum for inducing the wet sheet .formation while at the same time drawing off the water removed in the process of for ing the wet sheet of paper. The suppl mental suction chamber 6 of each roll is similarly connected with a suitable vacuum pump through a pipe connection at 6.

Considering the operation of any individual suction roll or vacuum-forming cylinder, for instance the cylinder 1, the direction of rotation is such that the wire is carried up, wardly past the contacting body of liquid -stock. As the cylinder and wire move past the vacuum chamber 5, the suction forcibly withdraws water from the liquid body through the'area of the wire in contact therewith, causing the continuous deposition on on the sheet as it emerges from and after it leaves the liquid, causes the deposited fibers to be firmly held and compacted against the corrosive action of any surplus moisture or pulp which may drain back into the vat. This same holding action of the vacuum prevents thinning or washing away of the deposited web while it is passing through the liquid in the vat. Another effect of the vacuum is the passage of air through the web after it leaves the liquid and is exposed to the air. The air thus forced through the web carries with it more water in the form of spray or vapor. These several effects combine to produce rapidly a continuous, uniform, closely compacted sheet, obtaining an excellent formation.

the sheet is carried over the supplemental vacuum chamber 6. v

It will be understood that the speed ofrotation of the cylinder, the degreeof vacuum maintained in the suction box, and the consistency of stock delivered to the vat, may becontrolled according to the thickness and character of sheet to be made; that the construction of the vat and suction box equipment-of the suction roll may be such as to permit adjusting the width of the formingarea in accordance with the width of the sheet to be made; and that the liquid stock held on the cylinders may be maintained quiet or agitated according to whether it is desired to produce paper of greater tensile strength lengthwise than transversely, or whether it is desired to produce papers of increased transverse strength; all as explained in my aforesaid application. For agitating the liquid stock in the vats so as to promote criss-cross disposition of the fibers, in the case of producing papers of increased transverse strength, or of substantially equal strength both longitudinally and transversely, the vats are shown provided with agitators each com prising a reciprocatory rod 7 carrying a series of spaced blades 7 3 having concave edges in close proximity to the cylinder. By reciprocation of the rods 7 theblades 7 will move the liquid stock rapidly in opposite directions across the cylindrical forming surface.

As the wet sheets formed over the several suction'rolls are to be brought together and bonded into a unitary plural-ply sheet, it is desirable that the vacuum maintained in each of the supplemental vacuum chambers 6 be regulated or adjusted to temper the respective sheets or plies to the proper degree of moisture content for good'bonding. In the production of plural-ply paper, involving the uniting of separateformations of paper, the

I sheets to be united should carry a certain amount of water for bonding purposes. If the sheets are left very wet, or too wet, as is apt to be the case in the production of pluralply paper by ordinary commercial methods, then difficulties will be encountered through crushing of the wet sheets if suflicient pressure be applied to make the perfect bond or union required. On the other hand, if too much water is withdrawn from the sheet, then the bonding is likely to be imperfect, and the layers or plies will be liable to separate.

- It is therefore important to regulate the moisture content of the sheet in accordance with bonding requirements. With the illustrated machine, the supplemental vacuum chambers 6 provide convenient means whereby the sheets, while on their carrying mediums, may

be subjected to independently controlled vacuum action so as to force substantially uniformly through the respective sheets such the quality of the paper is better if the bond-- ing unionbe perfected at such minimum moisture content. Accordin to requirements, the vacuum maintaine in the chambers 6 may be more or less than the vacuum for forming the sheet. In this connection it may be observed that the tempering of the sheets over the auxiliary vacuum chambers 6 may be practicedwithout limitation of speed or interference with the desired speed of rotation of the forming cylinders.

The machine is organized andarranged so that the sheets formed over the various suction rolls are deposited one upon another on a press'felt 8. The direction of travel of the felt is indicated by the arrow. It will be observed that the suction rolls or vacuumforming cylinders with their associated wires are arranged in pairs, each pair constituting a duplexing organization or means for making a two-ply sheet. The cylindersof each pair rotate in opposite directions as indi cated by the arrows, and the wires associated therewith travel conver ingly as shown to I around guide rolls 11 and 12 which deflect it against the .felt over a suction transfer roll 13, the suction box of which is indicated at 13, whereby the-duplex sheet on wire 2 (or the single-ply sheet thereon in case only one of said cylinders 1, 1" is used for formation) is transferred by suction to the felt. Similar equipment may be provided for the other pairs of vacuum-forming cylinders and wires. Thus the suction transfer roll for transfer- .r'gigthe sheet from wire 2 to wire 2 is indicated at 14, and the suction transfer roll for transferring the sheet'or combined sheets from wire 2 to the felt 8 or sheet or sheets thereon is indicated at 15. The bottom guide roll for wire 2 is indicated at 16, and the guide rolls for the wire 2 at opposite sides of the suction transfer roll 15 are indicated at 17 and 18. Likewise, referring to the pair of wires 2, 2 running from the cylinders 1 1", the suction transfer roll 19 effects transfer of the sheet from Wire 2" to wire 2, and the suction transfer roll 20 under the felt causes the sheet or combined sheets on wire 2 to deposit on the felt or sheets thereon.

The bottom guide roll for wire 2".is indicated at 21, and the guide rolls for holding wire. 2? over the suction transfer roll 20 are indicated at22 and 23. Bythe construction described, the several wet paper plies or sheets formed over the several suction rolls are successively deposited on the, felt. It will be understood that wet sheets may ciated suction transfer rolls 10, 15 and 21' makes a complete organization by which plural-ply paper may be made by forming plies and bringing them into contact on the felt.

The combined sheets on the felt 8 are carried thereby through a press represented in this instanceby a top press roll 24 coacting with a bottom suction press roll 25, the suction box of which is indicated at 25. Guide rolls for the felt are indicated at 26 and tension ing rolls at 27. There is also shown a top felt 28 travelingaround guide roll 29 and coacting with the felt 8 to carry the plural-ply sheet through the press. Y

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment shown and described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A paper-making machine comprising a plurality of pairs of suction rolls and endless Wires traveling therearound, each pair of said wires arran ed for bringing their respective sheets toget er on oneof the wires of such pair, and an endless carrier and means associated with said carrier and with each of the wires carrying the pairs of sheets by which the said pairs of sheets are transferred one upon another on said carrier.

2. A paper-makin machine comprising a plurality of pairs 0 sheet-forming suction rolls and Wires traveling therearound, said wires arranged for bringing their respective sheets together; suction means associated with each pair of wires for transferring the sheet on one wire to that on the other; a felt in association with the wires to which the sheets are transferred; and suction means in association with each of said last mentioned wires for transferring the sheet or combined sheets carried thereby to the felt.

3. A paper-making machine comprising a plurality of pairs of oppositely revolving sheet-forming suction rolls and wires traveling around them, the respective pairs of wires having converging sheet-carrying runs; suction transfer rolls entrained by the respective pairs of wires, whereby the sheet products of each pair of suction rolls are brought together as a duplex sheet and carried on one of the wires for such pair; a felt in association with the wires carrying the duplex sheets; and suction transfer rolls entrained by the felt andsaidlast mentioned wires, whereby the duplex sheets are successively deposited on the felt.

4. A' paper-making machine comprising i suction rolls and wires running around them on which web sheets are formed over the rolls which the sheets are deposited on combination, a plurality of means including suction rolls for forming a pluralit of wet sheets by vacuum-induced formatlon, and means including a press felt and a plurality of transfer means in association with said felt and respectively associatedwith the respective sheet-forming means by which the,

wet sheets are brou ht together on the felt to form a plural-ply s eet.

6. A paper-making machine embodying a plurality of sheet-forming suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed over the vacuum areas of the rolls, and a felt cooperating with said wires in succession and to which the sheets carried by the wires are successively transferred.

7. A paper-making machine having a plurality of suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed over the vacuum areas of the rolls, a felt runningin engagement with the respective wires, and suction transfer devices associated with the felt and the respective wires for transferring the sheets by suction from said wires to the felt.

8. A paper-making machine having a plurality of suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed over the vacuum areas of the rolls, a felt running in engagement with the respective wires, suction transfer rolls associated with the respective wires, and guide rolls whereby the wires are respectively held in engagement with the felt and the latter held in engagement with the suction transfer rolls.

9. A paper-making machine having a plurality of suction rolls and wires running around them on which wet sheets are formed over the vacuum areas of the rolls, a felt running in engagement with the respective wires,

and guide rolls whereby the respective wires are held in engagement with the felt.

10. A paper-'makin machine combining a plurality of pairs 0 oppositely revolving suction rolls and wires travelin around them on which wet sheets are forme over the vacuum areas of said rolls, saidapairs of wires each arranged to bring the pair of sheets formed thereon into contact and to carry off the contacting sheets by one of said wires, and a felt running in engagement with the wires carrying the said pairs of sheets and onto which the said pairs of sheets are successively deposited.

.In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. 

